Tuesday, September 30, 2014

already???


And here we are again.. check in day at neads...Right now, Danny is the only Maine boy, so we had a nice time traveling down with the gals, and taking time to fill Dave in on Danny's progress. He's doing very well, super laid back, easy going and seems to enjoy all there is about life. 
NEADS is expanding... they own a few of the properties around their current campus, and are in the process of building a new client house. When clients are matched with their dogs, they have to spend two weeks at the NEADS campus to do their team training. While they do have a nice house for them now, this one is being built  especially for the clients, and I dare say, will make "living" here those two weeks even easier. 
This is probably the least favorite of our check ins... Dave likes to see how the dogs handle scary things, and what is scarier than those horrid Halloween stores. Believe me.. this is NOT one of the stores I would normally choose to be in. I don't enjoy being scared, and I find some of this Halloween stuff down right gruesome. But I suppose if the puppies can handle it for a little bit, I can too...
Danny, just as I knew he would... was a pro. He figured out right away that this stuff is all fake... since dogs don't see things the way we do.. he never worried about all the zombies, and other such creatures. I wasn't too thrilled when they screamed at us, or worse yet.. jumped out at us.. but Danny wasn't one bit bothered. 
Dave tested him with masks of all sorts, and things that "glowed".. and Danny thought each thing was just one big toy to play with. Needless to say, Dave is very pleased with his "solid" reactions... I fear that many Halloween stores have done good dogs in. 
It may seem kind of mean to subject the dogs to this sort of thing... but making sure that they are steady and ready to handle whatever comes their way is a huge part of the training. Danny my boy, you're looking good!!!!!
AND... I am taking a bit of bragging time here... I have two "calendar girls!!"  Last year, it was Ginger who made the cover of the NEADS calendar.. and this year (2015) it's Miss Rylie!!! (In fact many of the photos are ones that I have taken!!!)...I know that I'm "a bit" of a picture nut... but it's cool to see them!!! (and you can order them on their website!!!)
So, with September  coming to a close, fall is in full swing. The apple orchards all around the farm are busy, it's a great apple year. The weather has been nothing short of amazing, and I find myself outside as much as I possible can be!!!!
Open for business!!!!!

Reagan, Kass and Sadie came up for a visit.. we went to lunch at our local little place, and then went onto the orchard to get some apples. 
Though, one little chap was far more impressed with the tractors of the orchard than the wonder apples. So while Kass and Sadie did some pumpkin shopping and looked over the apples and other such things, Reagan and I spent time exploring farm equipment.....
His Mom finally convinced him to pick up his own little pumpkin... which was hard when you want to take them all home..... but, after much searching, he did come up with the perfect one....
Back on our own farm, we found an escapee once again. Miss Mocha has decided that her pasture area is just not enough and has been booking it under the fence. She never really "goes" anywhere, but it isn't safe to have her loose... so, we'll need to find a way to keep her contained.....
And we need to prepare these little ones for horsemanship....
Abbie loves helping out in the barn and has no fear (which is good and bad) of any of the horses. Fortunately, all our horses are really good with kids, and despite his huge size, I dare say Duke is probably the best. 
With the warmish weather, the bugs are still a bit of a bother, so Abbie though Duke would appreciate a bit of fly spray. 
After the horses are all taken care of.... she's off on her four wheeler. (I have a feeling that in just a few years, her Papa will think she has out grown this one... and will "need another!!")
And speaking of fall, and all the fall things that we do around here. This is another (on going) project. Filling that woodshed so we have a nice warm house over the winter. Actually, I enjoy stacking the wood. I do it in stages so it isn't so overwhelming....
and find great satisfaction when our woodshed begins to look like this. Planning on 11 cord this year, and we'll see how long we can go without firing up the big furnace!!!!!
Abbie "fetching her ponies".....
Out for a little walk......
thanks to Miss Escape Artists.. the round pen will be used as a pasture spot for a while. (which is probably what she had in mind the whole time)...

So, as another month comes to an end... and the farm goes along on these fine fall days.. I have to admit, that I (sadly) do not spend as much time as I would like (or used to) with my little blog here. But since I do enjoy looking over the stories myself, I will try and spend a little more time, keeping it up to date... (especially the photos)... and will just try and fill it in when I take the moments to do so.....

Saturday, September 20, 2014

pumpkins and trolleys...


Not too far from the farm is a wonderful trolley museum. I used to take the girls there a fair amount when they were small. It was great fun, you could ride all the trolley that you wanted, and there were many different ones to choose from. As the girls got older, we didn't go so much, and to be honest, I sort of "forgot" about the museum as time has gone on. 
Lately though, I have heard threw my dog students, that the trolley museum is "dog friendly" and even though Dan is "allowed" any where as a service dog in training, it's nice to go to these "dog friendly" places as well. I was also told that for a few weekends in October, the trolley museum was hosting a pumpkin-fest... and so I thought, why not get the "grands" and take Danny and head on over to see what this event is all about. Sadly, we couldn't come up with a weekend that both grands could come... (Abbie has a busy schedule these days)... so it ended up just being Reagan, Kas, Nate.. Ed and myself.. and of course, Danny boy...
It was a nice fall day.. we bought our tickets... (grabbed some lunch from a wonderful food vendor that was there).. picked out a trolley and hopped aboard. The ticket man came around and "punched" the tickets and we were off....
Riding the trolley is so much fun, it's much different from a train and makes the most wonder sound and slight rocking movement. I had forgotten how much fun this is!!! (and need to make a point of going there with every service puppy I have...)
Danny was such a good boy. He climbed right on, and settled in and seem to truly enjoy the ride. The other folks on the trolley hardly knew he was there... but then again, there were many excited children, riding the trolley and heading out to the pumpkin patch.. where they were going to find the perfect pumpkin. 
There were a number of folks there, but it wasn't too crowded. (good for us...) but I do hope for the trolley folks this event "gets out there". Because its such a nice thing, and I think families need to do more of "things like this"....They had some games the children could do.. face painting and the like...
And the most amazing patch of pumpkins!!! Really  nice ones... of all shapes and sizes. Each person who has a ticket could pick one pumpkin... so Reagan had lots of choices to make... (which he took very seriously)...
"what do think of all of this Mr. Danny Boy??"
Looks like we have found the one that is "just right".... Reagan had a very good time, racing about... checking out all the pumpkins.. and getting that perfect one....
We all decided that we would take a different trolley for the ride back. Our first one had been a closed car, so we opted for an "open car" for the return ride. We sat at the platform and watch a few trolleys go by until "just the right" one showed up. Danny seemed to like the trolleys.....
I kind of wondered how the open car would be. It has no sides... you just climb on and slide into the seat. We took the middle (just in case).. but true to form, ol Danny dog found his spot and settled right down....
The trolley line makes a big loop, taking you out threw the woods and by some very pretty spots. At the end of the line, they all gather together and then chug back to the station.. here were the trolleys that were ahead of us....
Back at the station.... Danny had to climb down the steps, but as you can see the open cars are "really open".... 
The little station is really nice. It has all kinds of displays of the trolleys of the old days... and (of course) a gift shop with trains of all kinds. Reagan so enjoyed this train table with all sorts of things to play with... he was happy to show Danny all of the items and the two of them had a great together. (Leaving was another matter).....









So fall is well in hand... and will speed by too quickly I am sure. But in the meantime.... I am going to enjoy each and every moment....

Friday, September 19, 2014

photos on the farm....


Good news... the day of the "big event" dawned bright and sunny!! a perfect early fall day........
Everyone is here!!! Even Rachel.. Kassy' best and long time school friend, who is visiting us from Florida....
The props are ready..... not sure which ones we will need......
Kiddos dressed (and practicing.....)
Making decisions as to "what shall we wear"....
Tonka wants to know what is all the excitement and activity about......
It's a professional photo shoot!!!! Kass has hired this nice gal to come and take photos of the kids and thought the farm would be just the place to do so. We set up some "ideas" that we thought would be good, and so Kass walked her around to see if we were on the right track and to see where else she might like to take the photos......
Pictures were taken all around, Abbie was more than happy to "drive" the gator around, transporting different props here and there... 
And for the most part, both Reagan and Abbie cooperated with all that was asked of them. I was asked not to shoot photos.. (afterall, why hire a professional and then just steal all their photos).. but I did take some of them being taken. (and I can't wait to see what she will come up with)....
She used all sorts of different thing... the animals of course.. but different spots, and things... this one is Reagan on Papa's lawn tractor (sort of looks like we're making a movie or something!!!)
And as one can imagine not every photo will be picture perfect.... dogs - for example - running threw the photo opt.....
The shoot lasted a few hours... as I said, for the most part the kids were pretty agreeable, the nice thing is.. Kass just said "shoot away" and really didn't try for too many "posed" shots. But after everyone was done, one in little boy in particular was more than happy to run free and try out the slide on the swing set.....
He's pretty adventurous and really didn't want any "help"...

Even from his big cousin  (you go)......

Such a pretty day, that after the photographer left... I did take a few shot of my own. I dearly love this farm and every day, I take the time to thank the Good Lord for it's blessings!!!!!






"Hey Baby... this isn't a real dog???"  


Great day... one that certainly will be cherished......